DEAD SEA

The Dead Sea is the lowest spot on the face of the earth--1290 feet below sea level. The dimensions and statistics concerning bodies of water will vary from time to time due to conditions. However, the Dead Sea is generally some 40 to 45 miles long and and approximately 9 or 10 miles wide at its longest and widest spots. It could also be called the "dead end sea," because there is no outlet. Water can only escape by evaporation. It is fed by the Jordan River, a few springs, and the flash floods that sometimes come. It is shallow in the south and at its deepest in the north. No fish live in the sea itself. There is 15% more oxygen in the air than there is over at the Mediterranean. It takes longer to get a tan there due to the atmosphere and its depth. It is ten times saltier than the ocean, and one can literally sit on the Dead Sea and float without making any motions. The dry oxygen-rich air is good for respiratory conditions, and the high mineral content of the salty water is good for skin diseases of any kind. It was called the "Salt Sea" in the Bible. It is believed that Sodom and Gomorrah are underneath its surface in its southeast portion. Genesis 14:3; Numbers 34:3,12; Joshua 3:16; Ezekiel 47:1-12.